Opinions Visa gift cards or travellers checks?

[DisneyDew]

I saw this mentioned in another thread briefly, but I could not locate it to get the specifics. We were thinking of getting Visa gift cards for our trip in 3 weeks instead of bringing travellers checks. My question is, Can you use gift cards within the World? If so, Can they be used at most locations including carts? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Dew

 

[AbsolutWallSt]

As a former CM and a current banker, go with the Traveler's Cheques. Gift cards tend to be cheaper, however they cannot easily be replaced if lost, (plus there's higher fees involved usually). Additionally, some merchants are limited to how many forms of payment they can take, and even Disney can take only so many forms of payment on one transaction. This is important cause if you've got $2.50 left on a gift card you need to have the merchant charge exactly that amount to the card and pay the difference somehow else. Can get cumbersome at times. When using the Traveler's Cheques, you simply get cash back as change, and use up your cash before using the next Cheque. Make sense? Plus most issuers are quick at getting replacement Cheques sent to you if needed. Of course if you're staying at a Disney Resort, you can just use your room card and have it simply billed to your room!

 

[natalia1681]

I have to second having everything just charged to your room and then pay as you leave. It's much less of a hassle than carrying Cheques with you. That's what we did on our last trip. We traveled with another couple who used Cheques, who felt by the time the trip was over, that they would be doing the same from now on.

 

[Rob562]

I've used a Visa gift card from my local mall for my past two trips. The first time, I ordered it online and got it personalized. The fee was like $5-$6. After the fact, I found out that you could get one at the mall's service desk for only a $1.50 fee, so I did that for the second trip. But it wasn't personaized. It just came with a generic name and message.
(The name line said "Simon Mall", and I had one CM refer to me as Simon, and another as Mr. Mall.... And a third was confused for a moment because the name in my signature didn't match the name ont he front...)

But anyway, I much preferred using the gift card over traveller's checks or cash. I saved up the money and bought the card when I had enough, and then I didn't have to worry about that part of my trip anymore. And the card is accepted in 98% of places at WDW. Anywhere you can use a credit card you can use it.

One tip: If you have to return something, be prepared for it to take 3-5 days for the money to appear back on the card. Toward the end of the vacation, the card was rejected. I thought I'd just gone through the money faster than I thought, when in fact a return I'd made hadn't credited back yet.

Another option for you might be to get one of the new Disney Gift Cards that can be used at the parks, the Disney Stores and online. I don't think there's a fee involved, and the funds never expire like the Visa gift cards do. Plus, you can reload the gift card with more money. (Currently only at the locations that sell the cards, but I'm sure they're working on adding online ability). So if you buy one at your local Disney Store, you could conceivably keep adding to it every few weeks as a way of saving for your trip.

There's info at www.disneygiftcard.com

-Rob

 

[Lightyear]

I second the problem about the gift cards when you get to the last few dollars. I would even explain to them but seemed very difficult to get the idea across to many many CM's. I will stick with large denomination travelers checks. Easy to cash a 100 every day and have enough cash for the rest of the day.

 

[swimmom]

There's also the American Express Travlers Cheque Card which has th convienence of a credit card and the security of travelers checks. Here's a link. http://www10.americanexpress.com/sif/cda/page/0,1641,18622,00.asp

 

[bgraham34]

i just charge everything to the room its much easier in my opinion.

 

[tink81]

Why not just use your ATM card for everything? If you process it it as credit, you don't incur any fees and it comes right out of your checking account...much less of a hassle than putting money on a gift card or purchasing Traveller's Cheques.

 

[hokielutz]

I'm personally not too crazy about taking your credit cards in the parks on vacation. If you are staying on the property, it would be much easier to charge to your room, and keep your cards locked up in a room safe for your stay. That way your wallet will have less of a chance of getting lost and your credit and ATM accounts won't end up in hands other than yours. If you are going out of the country, its probably a good idea to bring travelers cheques then.

 

[Richie248]

There's also the American Express Travlers Cheque Card which has th convienence of a credit card and the security of travelers checks. Here's a link. http://www10.americanexpress.com/sif/cda/page/0,1641,18622,00.asp

These work like a charm!! I'm also a fan of charging everything to the room, and once I check out I place all the charges on my debit card, that way they take the money from my checking account as opposed to having it sit on my credit card.